Breast Cancer Awareness Month Raises Questions About Antipsychotic Drug Warnings

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Oct 07, 2026, 11:46 ET

Wisner Baum lawsuits allege manufacturers failed to warn patients and physicians about breast cancer risks associated with Risperdal, Invega and Zyprexa as a growing body of research links prolactin-elevating antipsychotics to increased breast cancer risk.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As Breast Cancer Awareness Month places prevention, screening and early detection in the national spotlight, Wisner Baum LLP attorney and partner Monique Alarcon wants that conversation to also include women with serious mental health conditions who may have received little or no clear information about evidence linking certain antipsychotic medications to breast cancer risk.

“Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about giving people information that can help them protect their health. Patients prescribed these antipsychotics deserve to understand the research and discuss their individual risk factors and screening needs with their doctors.” - Monique Alarcon, Wisner Baum LLP attorney and partner

Wisner Baum is representing women in lawsuits alleging that manufacturers failed to warn patients and prescribers about breast cancer risks associated with Risperdal (risperidone), Invega (paliperidone) and Zyprexa (olanzapine). The complaints allege the companies knew or should have known the drugs could cause sustained prolactin elevation and other effects that can cause breast cancer, and that they downplayed the link between consumption of the drugs and breast cancer, as well as the scientific evidence, to protect profits.

"Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about giving people information that can help them protect their health," Alarcon said. "Patients prescribed these antipsychotics deserve to understand the research and discuss their individual risk factors and screening needs with their doctors."

Women with Serious Mental Illness Remain Overlooked

Women living with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and related conditions are often missing from mainstream women's health conversations. A 2026 systematic review published in Schizophrenia Bulletin examined 35 studies and found that 21 reported lower participation in breast or cervical cancer screening among women with severe mental illness. The review also found higher breast cancer mortality in this population.

For Alarcon, those disparities make the clear communication of risks especially important. Breast cancer awareness cannot stop at urging women to schedule regular screenings. It must also ask whether patients received appropriate information about risks associated with these medications, and whether clinicians had enough information to discuss monitoring and individual risk factors.

A Growing Body of Scientific Evidence

Risperidone, paliperidone and olanzapine can affect prolactin levels to varying degrees. Prolactin is a hormone that acts on breast tissue through pathways involved in cell growth and development. Increased levels of prolactin — known as hyperprolactinemia — are associated with an elevated risk of breast cancer development. There is also evidence that the drugs can increase the risk of breast cancer through other mechanisms, such as interference with the metabolic system.

Numerous epidemiological studies have reported increased breast cancer risk among women taking antipsychotics. A U.S. study of 540,737 women reported a 62% higher relative risk of invasive breast cancer among women exposed to antipsychotics categorized as highly prolactin-elevating. Antipsychotics categorized as medium prolactin-elevating, a group that includes olanzapine (Zyprexa), were associated with a 54% higher risk.

A 2024 Swedish study of women with severe mental illness found that breast cancer was 20% more common among women who took prolactin-increasing antipsychotics for one to four years and 47% more common among those who took them for five years or longer. A 2025 meta-analysis of 13 observational studies reported a pooled 23% increase in breast cancer risk.

"For decades, the research has pointed in the same direction, and patients were never warned," Alarcon said. "Informed consent means telling patients what is known about a medication's risks so they can make decisions with their physicians. Our lawsuits allege the manufacturers knew or should have known about this breast cancer risk and failed to warn."

Litigation Tests What Manufacturers Communicated

Wisner Baum's cases rely on corporate records, scientific analyses and expert testimony to show how drug manufacturers assessed antipsychotic breast cancer evidence and why warnings failed to keep pace with the available research. In separate federal cases, Eli Lilly pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $1.415 billion in 2009 over its off-label promotion of Zyprexa, and Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay more than $2.2 billion in 2013 to resolve criminal and civil investigations involving Risperdal, Invega and other drugs.

"Breast Cancer Awareness Month should ensure every woman has the information she needs to protect her health, including women who rely on psychiatric medication," Alarcon said.

About Wisner Baum

Wisner Baum is a nationally recognized plaintiffs' law firm with offices across the United States. For decades, the firm has represented individuals harmed by corporate misconduct, dangerous products, environmental exposure and systemic failures. Wisner Baum is known for its trial experience, investigative rigor and leadership in complex, high-impact litigation involving some of the world's largest companies. For more information, visit www.wisnerbaum.com.

References

Brown v. Johnson & Johnson, No. 25CV119808 (Cal. Super. Ct., Alameda Cnty. May 12, 2025) (first amended complaint).
Karimi, M., Ziyafati Kafi, F., Pirzad, S., Pourfaraji, S. M. A., & Jahangiri, S. (2025). Antipsychotics use increases the risk of breast cancer in women: Findings from systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, 24, 100313.
National Library of Medicine. (2026). DailyMed: Olanzapine tablet.
National Library of Medicine. (2026). DailyMed: Paliperidone extended-release tablet.
National Library of Medicine. (2026). DailyMed: Risperidone tablet.
Pillai, S., Wynter, K., & Galbally, M. (2026). A systematic review of women's cancer screening and mortality in women with severe mental illness. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 52(2), sbaf254.
Rahman, T., Sahrmann, J. M., Olsen, M. A., Nickel, K. B., Miller, J. P., Ma, C., & Grucza, R. A. (2022). Risk of breast cancer with prolactin elevating antipsychotic drugs: An observational study of US women (ages 18-64 years). Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 42(1), 7-16.
Solmi, M., Lähteenvuo, M., Tanskanen, A., Corbeil, O., Mittendorfer-Rutz, E., Correll, C. U., Tiihonen, J., & Taipale, H. (2024). Antipsychotic use and risk of breast cancer in women with severe mental illness: Replication of a nationwide nested case-control database study. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 50(6), 1471-1481.
Wisner Baum. (n.d.). Antipsychotics and breast cancer lawsuits. wisnerbaum.com/prescription-drugs/antipsychotics-and-breast-cancer-lawsuits/